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The Frederick News-Post
While captioning technology exists, most movie locations are slow to use it
Heather Mansfield-Hom typed on her family's computer keyboard with quick, decisive strokes Monday.
School was out, and the 12-year-old Frederick resident wanted to go to the movies with friends. After listings popped up on a Web site, Heather announced her movie plans were shot.
Heather and her friends are deaf, and the only movie available with captioning anywhere in Frederick County for the week was rated R.
Her older sister, Michelle, who is also deaf, said in a written interview, "We don't have the equal access as other people who can hear to the movies. Sometimes we wanna watch one movie so bad, we have to drive to Rockville, Columbia and Silver Spring."
In Frederick County, one theater offers movies with captioning -- Regal Westview Stadium 16 typically shows one new captioned movie about every two weeks, Heather said.
While local deaf residents appreciate that the theater offers captioning, showtimes and movie choices are limited, the sisters' mother, Ellen Mansfield, said in a written interview. Ms. Mansfield is also deaf.
"They want to go to the movies but (it is) frustrating with selection of movies and time schedules," she said.
Although most new television programs must offer captions, per a ruling by the Federal Communications Commission that went into effect in January, rules regarding movie captioning are not as definitive, said Jay Feinberg, spokesman for the National Captioning Institute. The institute is a nonprofit company that produces captions.
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 addresses movie captioning, but different sections of the law appear to be contradictory, according to National Association of the Deaf Law and Advocacy Center.
Mr. Feinberg said the ADA implies captions should be offered, but people interpret the law differently, and captioning hasn't been uniformly required.
While theaters are responsible for installing equipment necessary to show captioned movies, movie studios decide what films will be captioned, said Mary Watkins, outreach director for Media Access Group at WGBH. Media Access Group provides captioning services for movie and television programs.
"It is completely voluntary on part of the studios ... and privately funded," Ms. Watkins said.
Some studios caption all their major releases; others decide on a film-by-film basis, she said.
Limited choices
More than 16,000 deaf or hard-of-hearing people lived in Frederick County in 2000, and the numbers have probably gone up since then, said Karen Sheffer-Tucker, Maryland division director of Communication Service for the Deaf Inc. CSD is a private, nonprofit organization that works to increase public awareness about issues affecting deaf and hard of hearing people.
Frederick County residents who are deaf often drive out of county to watchmovies, she said. If local theaters improved access, more deaf people would likely spend money at their theaters.
Michelle and her friends agree with that assessment.
"If (local theaters) showed movies with better times, better movies and all that, we would go there once a week or maybe more. They'll earn more money," Michelle said.
At the Regal Westview Stadium 16 in Frederick, captioned movies are usually shown twice a day at various times, said Greg Bonn, manager. Not many patrons request captioning each day.
"Opening week, we do have a good number of hearing impaired who watch, but not many," he said.
Mark Loudin echoed Mr. Bonn's comments. Mr. Loudin is owner of MDL entertainment, which owns and operates Holiday Cinemas. The discount theater doesn't offer captioning, but has a portable device that hard-of-hearing patrons can use to amplify a movie's sound.
In the past year, one person has asked to use the device, Mr. Loudin said. The theater turned that person away because the equipment wasn't set up for use.
Michelle and her family said the times captioned movies are shown make it hard for most people to attend, especially students and working adults. Captioned movies are typically shown about noon, early in the morning or late at night, Michelle said.
Like most patrons, the best time when deaf residents can attend the movies is in the evening. However, those show times are reserved for hearing patrons, said Michelle's friend, Ashlyn Witczak, 14.
Theater staff have told their families that "they don't want to throw that time away and show closed captions because less hearing people would show up," Michelle said.
The owners believe they won't make as much money appealing to deaf patrons, but they are mistaken, Ashlyn said.
Ms. Sheffer-Tucker said a good start would be to show at least one captioned movie during weekday evenings and on weekends.
Ms. Mansfield and her family would like to see three movies offered each week with different ratings. Other theaters should offer captioning to expand movie choices, Michelle said.
"We wanted to see 'Pirates of the Caribbean,' but they never show us that movie," she said.
While captioning technology exists, most movie locations are slow to use it
Heather Mansfield-Hom typed on her family's computer keyboard with quick, decisive strokes Monday.
School was out, and the 12-year-old Frederick resident wanted to go to the movies with friends. After listings popped up on a Web site, Heather announced her movie plans were shot.
Heather and her friends are deaf, and the only movie available with captioning anywhere in Frederick County for the week was rated R.
Her older sister, Michelle, who is also deaf, said in a written interview, "We don't have the equal access as other people who can hear to the movies. Sometimes we wanna watch one movie so bad, we have to drive to Rockville, Columbia and Silver Spring."
In Frederick County, one theater offers movies with captioning -- Regal Westview Stadium 16 typically shows one new captioned movie about every two weeks, Heather said.
While local deaf residents appreciate that the theater offers captioning, showtimes and movie choices are limited, the sisters' mother, Ellen Mansfield, said in a written interview. Ms. Mansfield is also deaf.
"They want to go to the movies but (it is) frustrating with selection of movies and time schedules," she said.
Although most new television programs must offer captions, per a ruling by the Federal Communications Commission that went into effect in January, rules regarding movie captioning are not as definitive, said Jay Feinberg, spokesman for the National Captioning Institute. The institute is a nonprofit company that produces captions.
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 addresses movie captioning, but different sections of the law appear to be contradictory, according to National Association of the Deaf Law and Advocacy Center.
Mr. Feinberg said the ADA implies captions should be offered, but people interpret the law differently, and captioning hasn't been uniformly required.
While theaters are responsible for installing equipment necessary to show captioned movies, movie studios decide what films will be captioned, said Mary Watkins, outreach director for Media Access Group at WGBH. Media Access Group provides captioning services for movie and television programs.
"It is completely voluntary on part of the studios ... and privately funded," Ms. Watkins said.
Some studios caption all their major releases; others decide on a film-by-film basis, she said.
Limited choices
More than 16,000 deaf or hard-of-hearing people lived in Frederick County in 2000, and the numbers have probably gone up since then, said Karen Sheffer-Tucker, Maryland division director of Communication Service for the Deaf Inc. CSD is a private, nonprofit organization that works to increase public awareness about issues affecting deaf and hard of hearing people.
Frederick County residents who are deaf often drive out of county to watchmovies, she said. If local theaters improved access, more deaf people would likely spend money at their theaters.
Michelle and her friends agree with that assessment.
"If (local theaters) showed movies with better times, better movies and all that, we would go there once a week or maybe more. They'll earn more money," Michelle said.
At the Regal Westview Stadium 16 in Frederick, captioned movies are usually shown twice a day at various times, said Greg Bonn, manager. Not many patrons request captioning each day.
"Opening week, we do have a good number of hearing impaired who watch, but not many," he said.
Mark Loudin echoed Mr. Bonn's comments. Mr. Loudin is owner of MDL entertainment, which owns and operates Holiday Cinemas. The discount theater doesn't offer captioning, but has a portable device that hard-of-hearing patrons can use to amplify a movie's sound.
In the past year, one person has asked to use the device, Mr. Loudin said. The theater turned that person away because the equipment wasn't set up for use.
Michelle and her family said the times captioned movies are shown make it hard for most people to attend, especially students and working adults. Captioned movies are typically shown about noon, early in the morning or late at night, Michelle said.
Like most patrons, the best time when deaf residents can attend the movies is in the evening. However, those show times are reserved for hearing patrons, said Michelle's friend, Ashlyn Witczak, 14.
Theater staff have told their families that "they don't want to throw that time away and show closed captions because less hearing people would show up," Michelle said.
The owners believe they won't make as much money appealing to deaf patrons, but they are mistaken, Ashlyn said.
Ms. Sheffer-Tucker said a good start would be to show at least one captioned movie during weekday evenings and on weekends.
Ms. Mansfield and her family would like to see three movies offered each week with different ratings. Other theaters should offer captioning to expand movie choices, Michelle said.
"We wanted to see 'Pirates of the Caribbean,' but they never show us that movie," she said.